LUNDY MURDERS: A court hearing depositions from
witnesses in Palmerston North has begun hearing about the
double murder of Christine and Amber Lundy in Palmerston
North. Christine Lundy’s life was insured for a million
dollars. A witness described finding Amber and Christine
Lundy’s dead bodies in the family house. Gregory,
Christine’s brother, said that the day before the murder
Christine and Mark appeared to be getting on well. Police
allege that Amber Lundy was killed after she saw the attack
on her mother. Mark Lundy has been holding his hands over
his face for much of the trial so far.

TOURISTS ATTACKED:
Tourists kidnapped, and one possibly killed, by an attacker
in the Australian outback near Alice Springs at Barrow
Creek, have sparked a massive manhunt. A woman miraculously
escaped the attacker raising the alarm, but her partner is
feared dead.

ABORTION ATTACK: Police in Melbourne believe
members of the public may have prevented a massacre at an
abortion clinic. A gunman who shot a security guard at the
clinic was wrestled to the ground by the members of the
public.

FAMILY VIOLENCE AT THE RUGBY: A woman who attacked
and injured her younger brother for not playing on during a
rugby match, has been sentenced to periodic detention and
banned from attending rugby matches.

PLANE STRUCK BY
LIGHTNING: Freedom Air has examined a plane struck by
lightning and says it is okay.

NATIONAL MISSILE DEFENCE: A
Greenpeace campaigner with ties to NZ has been effectively
tied to the main island in the Marshall Islands. He has been
ordered not to visit an island where tests are being carried
out on the US’s National Missile Defence
programme.

NATIONAL MISSILE DEFENCE: Meanwhile the
successful test of a National Missile Defence plan missile
has bouyed supporters of George Bush’s controversial NMD
plan. Last night’s test drew another warning from Moscow
about an arms race. In the test an ICBM was destroyed in
space by an interceptor missile.

CHARLES UPHAM SOLD: The
NZ Defence Force’s biggest lemon has been sold for $8.6
million. The Charles Upham was bought 10 years ago by the
then National Government for $14 million. It proved
unsatisfactory as a landing ship as it rolled too much in
heavy seas. National’s Max Bradford said he would have
spent money on upgrading the ship. ACT is also critical of
the sale saying that NZ cannot be sure of getting a ship to
move equipment in time of war.

MONGREL MOB: Police in
Christchurch are enforcing a seldom used law to clamp down
on the Mongrel Mob. Police say the Mongrel Mob are behind
standover tactics leading to people to moving out of their
houses in the suburb of Shirley. A law that says people are
not allowed to associate with members of the gang is being
used, and people, mainly Maori, are being served with papers
telling them not to visit the gang. Accusations of racism
have been made against the campaign. Police say the campaign
is the first in a citywide campaign against all
gangs.

Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

Contact Alastair Thompson

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